ZOOLOGICAL 
in Central Park; the white fish were all sent to 
lakes in Dutchess County, New York, when very 
small; on May 1, we sent 220,000 yellow perch 
to the Bronx Park waters and shortly after 
50,000 to Prospect Park, Brooklyn; the shad 
were liberated in the Hudson at Rhinecliffe, 
with practically no loss; on June 1, we sent 
4,000 Atlantic salmon, 5,000 rainbow trout and 
4,000 steelhead trout to Millwood, New York. 
The difference between the numbers of eggs 
received and fry liberated is accounted for, part- 
ly by loss in the hatcheries; by the exhibits of 
fry kept at the Aquarium to be reared, and from 
the fact that we use much of the fry of the com- 
moner fish for fish-food. 
West Indian Seals:—We have lost two of the 
three rare West Indian seals that were added to 
the collections June 14, 1909. The largest 
specimen died December 27, 1910, from pneu- 
monia, and a second one died on January 16, 
1911, from the same malady, together with a 
complication of intestinal parasites. The third 
specimen is still living. 
Leatherback Turtle:—Another large leather- 
back turtle was presented and placed in one of 
the large floor pools to swim blindly at the sides 
until exhausted. Unfortunately we are the re- 
cipients of one or more of these noble animals 
each year and always try them in the hope that 
they may be induced to take food and content 
themselves with a life of confinement, but they 
invariably find their way to a museum within a 
few days. 
Sea-Water:—Three loads of sea water were 
purchased to replenish the loss during the year 
from our stored supply. This water is transport- 
ed from outside of Sandy Hook in a tank steamer 
in order to avoid the polluted harbor water. 
Evaporation has concentrated our closed circu- 
lation water to a density of .0243, whereas the 
ordinary sea water along our coast is about .022 
and that of the dense tropical water around the 
Bermudas is .028. 
Child Welfare Exhibit:—The Aquarium dis- 
played pictures, statistical charts and three bal- 
anced aquaria near the exhibits of the other 
museums of the City at the “New York Child 
Welfare Exhibit” in the 71st Regiment Armory, 
from January 18 to February 12. This served 
to stimulate interest in stocking balanced jars 
in the public schools, as is attested by the in- 
creased demand for live specimens and_sea- 
water. 
Battery Park:—The Aquarium looks out on 
Battery Park at a continually diminishing sup- 
ply of trees. These are dying rapidly and no 
apparent effort is being made to replenish with 
SOCIETY 
BULLETIN. 737 
young trees. We fear that a few years more 
will leave us with a shadeless Park. 
Dynamite Explosion:—The explosion of dy- 
namite in Jersey City on the first day of Feb- 
ruary, which did so much damage and broke 
windows in the lower end of the City, played 
some pranks at the Aquarium. The skylights 
on the side toward the explosion were lifted, 
when the air pressure was suddenly removed 
after the first wave of compression had passed, 
and dropped again a few inches from their true 
positions, shattering twenty-three of the panes. 
Many of the fragments fell upon the skylights 
in the attic, breaking sixteen of the panes which 
fell to the main floor together with the glass 
that broke them. Thirteen windows were also 
broken in various parts of the building. ‘The de- 
tonation was heavy, and the simultaneous falling 
of the glass might well have frightened the visit- 
ors, but no great alarm was shown. and quiet was 
quickly restored after the first scramble to avoid 
the falling glass, which luckily did no damage. 
Strange to say, none of the heavy aquarium 
fronts was broken, as occurred during the firing 
of the heavy guns on the battle ships in the 
Hudson-Fulton Celebration in 1909. Another 
strange thing was, that the gas, wherever burn- 
ing, was extinguished throughout the building. 
Publications:—The publications have been 
moved from the main entrance, where their sale 
tended to cause a congestion, to the main floor 
and placed in charge of the telephone operator. 
Several displays of the publications have been 
arranged. 
Telephones:—A switchboard with extensions 
to the various departments and offices has been 
installed. This necessitated cutting through 
the wall and installing a new door between the 
main floor and the lower office for the conven- 
ience of the operator and those who wish to use 
the telephone. The wires will enter the build- 
ing through a conduit via the fireboat dock, 
thus dispensing with all overhead wires. 
Office: —A partition has been erected in the 
old laboratory to give the Assistant Director a 
separate office from that of the Clerk. A row 
of eleven spacious lockers has been built for 
storage room and the offices freshened with a 
coat of paint. 
Salt-Water Pumps :—A by-pass has been in- 
stalled in the engine-room for the harbor water 
system. This makes it possible to bring a re- 
serve pump into use in case of a breakdown of 
the regular pump. ‘Two pumps are working all 
the time, one on harbor and one on storage water 
and the emergency pump can now be connected 
with either system. C. G. 
